By JOHN SAKALA
‘Nothing succeeds like hard work,’ President Edgar Lungu has told Lubambe Copper Mine (LCM) employees.
President Lungu said once there is hard work, there is more production which benefits the entire country.
“I need to tell you that we are into this together because, the more you produce, the better for the economy, the better for the tax collector, the better for everything that you are doing. I want to assure management that we shall support you in your endeavor to expand the mine.
“I want to call upon the workers and labour unions. Like I said earlier, nothing succeeds like hard work, so as you negotiate for better conditions of service, remember that success is the glory of everyone while failure is an orphan. If we fail we will have no jobs. The price of copper is going up, so let us work hard so that we can demand more,” he said.
And LCM Director of Operations Tony Davis told President Lungu that production at the mine has increased by 70%.
Mr Davis said in 2017, the mine was producing one million tonnes of copper ore while in 2020; the mine produced 1.7 million tonnes.
He said the increase shows that the goal of producing two million tonnes of copper ore and 35, 000 tonnes of copper was attainable.
“Your Excellency, allow me to say the future of Lubambe is just to the south of us in what we call the ‘Extension Project.’ As you are aware, the mine has completed an advanced concept study of the project. This sleeping giant is in excess of 250 million tonnes of copper with the high grade of at 3.64% making it the largest and the highest-grade undeveloped copper deposits in the world.”
“This project once implemented will add more than 30 years of mine life to the already existing 10 years at Lubambe Mine and will provide countless opportunities for Zambians for generations to come,” he said.
And Speaking at Konkola Copper Mines in Chililabombwe, President Lungu thanked KCM management for steading the ship.
He said the management at KCM has shown that Zambia has capacity to run the mines efficiently and effectively.
He applauded the miners and contractors for commitment to run the mine.
“We are not going back. Vedanta went and they are not coming back. They can go to any court in the world, they will not come back; the chapter is closed. We want to change the mining sector. Our miners and contractors are getting paid, let us finish what we have started and prosper ourselves,” he said.
Mines Minister Richard Musukwa said when the entire liquidation process started, President Lungu wanted to protect the interests of the miners is protected.
The President was accompanied by Mines Minister Richard Musukwa, State House Minister Freedom Sikazwe, Energy Minister Matthew Nkhuwa and other party and government officials.
